Police arrest suspected ATM fraudster

The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested a notorious suspected Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fraudster operating within Enugu and its environs.

In a statement, the command’s Spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said on Sunday in Enugu that the suspect was nabbed on Feb. 17 at about 11:30 a.m.

According to Amaraizu, the suspect was nabbed at one of the ATM points of one of the new generation banks at Rangers Avenue in Enugu with six different ATM cards belonging to different victims.

He said that the feat was achieved by the New Haven Police Division in Enugu following directive issued by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, based on intelligence information gathered.

“The suspect, who gave his name as Augustine Nwoko of No. 34 Carta Street, Ogui, Enugu, said his alleged nefarious activities ranged from deceiving his unsuspecting victims.

“They defraud people who usually come to make ATM withdrawal by way of offering to assist them to make successful withdrawal.

“Before you know it, your pin number is tapped and they will quickly return an ATM card which may appear like that of customer’s own.

“And subsequently money will start disappearing from their victims’ accounts as the entire money will be siphoned,’’ he said.

On interrogation, Nwoko said that he belonged to a syndicate which specialised in staying around ATMs and pretending to be assisting users on how to operate the ATM.

The spokesman advised members of the public to be wary of the activities of these mischief makers who might be at any ATM point pretending to be rendering assistance.